Nauvoo Registry of Deeds, Deed Record Book A, 1840–1843
Source Note
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, Recorder, Deed Record, Book A, 18 Apr. 1842–2 Sept. 1843; handwriting of and ; 235 pages; CHL. Includes notations.
Commercially produced bound volume measuring 18¼ × 12 × 1½ inches (46 × 30 × 4 cm). The volume contains 246 pages, including pastedowns and flyleaves, each measuring 18⅛ × 11½ inches (46 × 29 cm). The endpaper, including three flyleaves and a pastedown in the front and one flyleaf and pastedown at the back of the volume, are not lined. The interior pages consist of ledger paper ruled horizontally with thirty-four preprinted blue lines and two red double lines, demarcating a row at the top of the page, and ruled vertically with two red double lines, demarcating a column to the right of each page, now faded. The volume is composed of fifteen gatherings, each of which contains eight leaves, except for the fourth gathering, which has ten leaves, and the last, which has six leaves. The recto of the final leaf of the last gathering was glued to the flyleaf. The boards are covered in marbled paper, now faded. The cover has a calfskin spine and corners. The spine bears two labels, the first of which reads: “DEED RECORD | NAUVOO | A”. The title page of the volume has an inscription in graphite: “No 1 or Book of | Entry”.
The first inscribed page was paginated with the numeral 3, and there is consistent pagination in the handwriting of or running to the last page, numbered 237, resulting in 235 inscribed pages. The top of the first inscribed deed was labeled with “No. 1”, and each inscribed deed thereafter was assigned a number in like manner, except that there are two deeds labeled “190”. The volume contains 216 items, mostly deeds, dating from 20 April 1840 to 28 August 1843, recorded between 18 April 1842 and 2 September 1843. Inserted into the book between pages 2 and 3 is a slip of paper inscribed with what looks like material for JS’s multivolume manuscript history; this inserted slip is not included here. The title page and the flyleaves of the volume show significant discoloration and dirt buildup. The wear pattern indicates that a smaller booklet, an index for the volume, was stored in the book. The entire volume shows significant discoloration due to water damage and mold damage, the boards and cover are deteriorated, and several pages have a central vertical tear between 2 and 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in length from the top of the page.
On 5 March 1842, the Nauvoo City Council appointed JS registrar for the city of , authorizing him to record and certify official deeds for land transactions. JS appointed as recorder for the Nauvoo registrar, and by mid-April 1842 Clayton began recording deeds into this record book. was doing general clerical work for the church beginning in April 1842 and was appointed a private secretary to JS on 11 June 1842. His handwriting also appears in this record book, though it is often difficult to distinguish which handwriting is Whitehead’s and which is Clayton’s. Along with other records, this record book was kept in JS’s Nauvoo office and transported to Utah Territory, where it was kept in the Church Historian’s Office. The spine bears a red-bordered label that reads “02473R | 9 Fo”, likely placed on the record by Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) staff in the 1950s or 1960s.
confirm to the said Thomas Clayton the following described Real Estate viz; The South end of Lot No Eleven, in Block No three of s addition to the City of and bounded as follows commencing at the South East corner of Said Lot running thence North about Fourteen rods to the South East corner of s lot, running thence West ten rods along the South line of said ’s lot, thence south to the South West corner of Lot No Eleven of Block No Three specefied above thence East ten Rods to the place of beginning containing about Three fourths of an acre be the same more or less.
To Have and to Hold the afore described premises, with the appertenances thereunto belonging to the said Thomas Clayton his heirs and assigns, forever: the said Samuel Miles hereby covenanting, that he will warrant and defend the title to the aforesaid premises to the said Thomas Clayton, his heirs and assigns, forever against all persons Claiming through or under him,
In Testimony Whereof, the said Samuel Miles, and his wife hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year above written.
Samuel Miles L. S.
L. S.
Don[e] in presence of)
)
State of Illinois)
SS.
)
I, , a Justice of the Peace within and for the County aforesaid, do certify, that Samuel Miles, and his wife, whose Signatures appear to the foregoing Deed, and who are personally known to me to be the persons described in, and who executed the same, did acknowledge that they executed the said conveyance for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. and the said having been by me made acquainted with the contents of the said Deed, and examined seperate and apart from her said acknowledged that she had executed the same and relinquished her dower to the premises therein conveyed, voluntarily, freely, and without undue influence of her said . Given under my hand and seal this Twenty fifth day to May A. D. 1842.
J. P. L. S.
Recorded May 25th. 1842.
26
to Charles A. Benson For S. W. Corner of L 52 in B 4
This Indenture, made and entered into this Thirty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Forty Two between and Anna his wife, of , and State of of the first part, and Charles A. Benson of the county of and state of of the second part, Witnesseth, that the said parties of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of Twenty five dollars, to them in hand paid, by the said party of the second part, the reciept whereof is hereby acknowledged, have given, granted, bargained, and sold, and by these presents, do give, grant, bargain, sell, convey, and confirm, unto the said party, of the second part, and to his heirs and assigns forever a certain piece or parcel of Land, situate, lying, and being in the county of and state of and described as follows, to wit: being in the south west corner of Lot Fifty Two in block four of s addition to the Town of to wit: commencing at the south West corner of said Lot running North Four chains [p. 23]